IMB Annual Reports
768 annual reports from Independent Monitoring Boards covering 171 establishments. IMBs provide independent oversight of prisons, immigration removal centres, and secure training centres. Source: imb.org.uk.
768
Reports
171
Establishments
757
With Key Concerns
Establishment Type
Reports by Year
Key Findings
99% of IMB reports flag key concerns.
Independent monitors cover 171 establishments
across prisons, immigration removal centres and secure training centres.
New Hall
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 1,162
Assaults: 138
Staff assaults: 79
HMP/YOI New Hall operates as a closed prison for women, holding 313 prisoners against an operational capacity of 376. The report highlights several positive developments, including effective reception processes, successful key worker implementation, and improved chaplaincy services. However, significant concerns remain regarding inadequate mental health provision and lengthy transfer delays for acutely unwell prisoners, a 50% increase in healthcare complaints, and ongoing issues with regime limitations and prison maintenance.
Key concerns identified
- Inadequate provision and significant delays for acutely mentally unwell prisoners to access appropriate mental health services and secure transfers.
- Persistent issues with prison maintenance, including slow repairs of essential equipment and furnishings.
- Concerns regarding potential national policy cuts to education funding which may reduce access to learning opportunities.
- An increase in healthcare complaints, particularly concerning medication delays and poor treatment.
- Regime limitations, including a lack of sufficient time out of cells, early lockups, inadequate temperature control on some wings, and unproductive time due to intermittent work contracts.
- Challenges in resettlement due to staff cuts, high turnover affecting community service cohesion, some prisoners lacking confirmed accommodation on release, and unclear Prison Offender Manager roles.
- Persistent issues with prison maintenance, including slow repairs of essential equipment and furnishings.
- Concerns regarding potential national policy cuts to education funding which may reduce access to learning opportunities.
- An increase in healthcare complaints, particularly concerning medication delays and poor treatment.
- Regime limitations, including a lack of sufficient time out of cells, early lockups, inadequate temperature control on some wings, and unproductive time due to intermittent work contracts.
- Challenges in resettlement due to staff cuts, high turnover affecting community service cohesion, some prisoners lacking confirmed accommodation on release, and unclear Prison Offender Manager roles.
New Hall
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 1,032
Assaults: 133
Staff assaults: 110
HMP/YOI New Hall, a closed category prison for women, held 365 residents against an operational capacity of 381. The Board noted positive developments in reception, staff-prisoner relationships, and the introduction of a drug recovery wing. However, significant concerns persist regarding the inadequate funding and suitability of the prison environment for women with complex mental health needs, leading to unacceptable delays in transfers to secure units. There was also a notable increase in healthcare-related applications to the IMB and issues impacting access to Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL).
Key concerns identified
- The process of transferring prisoners with mental health issues to secure units is too slow.
- Higher levels of funding are required to meet the complex and severe mental health needs of the women.
- The prison is increasingly being used inappropriately as a place of safety for women with severe mental health conditions.
- Prison is not an appropriate environment for women with severe mental health issues, with assessments and transfers to secure mental health establishments not prompt enough.
- There was a significant 61% increase in healthcare-related applications to the IMB, particularly concerning prescribing issues.
- The use of the vacant 'Larch' plot, previously identified as a concern, remains undecided.
- The shared Governor arrangements and clustering with HMP Askham Grange negatively impact New Hall prisoners' access to Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL).
- Higher levels of funding are required to meet the complex and severe mental health needs of the women.
- The prison is increasingly being used inappropriately as a place of safety for women with severe mental health conditions.
- Prison is not an appropriate environment for women with severe mental health issues, with assessments and transfers to secure mental health establishments not prompt enough.
- There was a significant 61% increase in healthcare-related applications to the IMB, particularly concerning prescribing issues.
- The use of the vacant 'Larch' plot, previously identified as a concern, remains undecided.
- The shared Governor arrangements and clustering with HMP Askham Grange negatively impact New Hall prisoners' access to Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL).
New Hall
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 609
Assaults: 53
Staff assaults: 82
HMP/YOI New Hall reported a population of 335 and an operational capacity of 381 for the year ending February 2023. The prison saw a significant reduction in self-harm incidents (609, down from 965) and use of force, alongside a good HMIP report and positive staff-prisoner relationships. Key concerns include underfunded trainee officer allocations, slow recruitment checks, the need to address OFSTED recommendations, and frustrating waiting lists for prisoner jobs.
Key concerns identified
- Funding for a 'drop down' spends allowance for prisoners, reflecting the rising cost of living.
- The number of new trainee officers allocated is unfunded and exceeds staffing requirements, leading to detached duty.
- The speed of security and background checks for new recruits needs improvement.
- A strategy is required to address the disappointing OFSTED inspection recommendations.
- Significant waiting lists for jobs within the prison cause frustration for prisoners seeking work.
- The number of new trainee officers allocated is unfunded and exceeds staffing requirements, leading to detached duty.
- The speed of security and background checks for new recruits needs improvement.
- A strategy is required to address the disappointing OFSTED inspection recommendations.
- Significant waiting lists for jobs within the prison cause frustration for prisoners seeking work.
New Hall
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 965
Assaults: 48
Staff assaults: 90
HMP New Hall operated under significant Covid-19 restrictions, with staff commended for their professionalism in maintaining safety. While safety metrics showed a notable increase in self-harm and use of force incidents, many were attributed to a small number of individuals and Covid-related confinement. Key areas for development include estate maintenance on Rivendell Unit and improving the quality of CSIP investigations, alongside addressing consistent prisoner complaints regarding healthcare and property.
Key concerns identified
- Rivendell Unit requires major work on windows and heating, impacting conditions for prisoners.
- Weaknesses persist in the quality of investigations and plans within the Challenge, Support and Intervention Plan (CSIP) process, despite a reduction in violence.
- Property issues, particularly losses in transit and a lack of staff understanding, continue to generate significant complaints.
- Healthcare complaints consistently account for one-third of all applications to the IMB, indicating ongoing concerns despite high satisfaction rates.
- The practice of sending women from court to New Hall as a "place of safety" and subsequent escalations to NHSE raises concerns about appropriate placements.
- The incentives scheme needs re-energising, as there is currently little incentive for prisoners to achieve enhanced status.
- Weaknesses persist in the quality of investigations and plans within the Challenge, Support and Intervention Plan (CSIP) process, despite a reduction in violence.
- Property issues, particularly losses in transit and a lack of staff understanding, continue to generate significant complaints.
- Healthcare complaints consistently account for one-third of all applications to the IMB, indicating ongoing concerns despite high satisfaction rates.
- The practice of sending women from court to New Hall as a "place of safety" and subsequent escalations to NHSE raises concerns about appropriate placements.
- The incentives scheme needs re-energising, as there is currently little incentive for prisoners to achieve enhanced status.
New Hall
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 467
The Independent Monitoring Board at HMP New Hall reported a generally well-run and safe prison for the year ending February 2021, despite significant challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Positive aspects included improved healthcare staffing, reduced self-harm, and effective use of technology like Purple Visits to maintain family contact. However, key concerns persist regarding the lack of resettlement accommodation, the impact of Covid-19 on sentence progression, and persistent issues with late prisoner arrivals and lost property during transfers.
Key concerns identified
- The government plan for 500 new prison places for women contradicts the female offender strategy.
- There is a continued lack of appropriate resettlement accommodation for women on release.
- Covid-19 restrictions have hindered prisoners from completing sentence plans and progressing towards release.
- Late arrivals of residents at reception remain a persistent problem, not improving despite previous flagging.
- Loss of personal property during transfers between prisons is a regular cause for complaint.
- Some prisoners are still released with no accommodation.
- There is a continued lack of appropriate resettlement accommodation for women on release.
- Covid-19 restrictions have hindered prisoners from completing sentence plans and progressing towards release.
- Late arrivals of residents at reception remain a persistent problem, not improving despite previous flagging.
- Loss of personal property during transfers between prisons is a regular cause for complaint.
- Some prisoners are still released with no accommodation.
New Hall
PRISON
Concerns
HMP/YOI New Hall received a generally positive assessment from the IMB for the reporting year ending February 2020, with prisoners treated fairly and humanely. The report highlighted improvements such as reduced self-harm, the introduction of in-cell telephony, and an outstanding education success rate of 96.69%. Key concerns, however, included long waits for mental health transfers, insufficient staffing and resources for vulnerable prisoners, and persistent issues with property transfer and resettlement accommodation.
Key concerns identified
- Long waiting periods for residents with severe mental health problems to transfer to appropriate external accommodation.
- Insufficient staffing levels and resources to consistently deliver healthcare, particularly on units housing complex women like Holly House.
- Buildings and fabric of the prison are at risk of falling below current maintenance levels, with lengthy delays in repairing faulty kitchen equipment.
- Inadequate process to ensure prisoners and their property are not separated during transfers, compounded by problematic transportation leading to late arrivals and delayed medical care.
- Lack of consistent engagement with Equalities groups due to staff deployment issues and the DIRF Scrutiny Panel not meeting regularly.
- The healthcare complaints process requires significant improvement, especially regarding timely feedback on written concerns.
- Budgetary issues and regime restrictions frequently lead to cancelled education classes and limited purposeful activity, resulting in some residents remaining on wings.
- Untimely service from Home Office Immigration Enforcement (HOIE) causes uncertainty in release planning and can lead to non-UK nationals being held beyond their release date.
- Limited and difficult-to-find accommodation for released prisoners, particularly for repeat offenders.
- Insufficient staffing levels and resources to consistently deliver healthcare, particularly on units housing complex women like Holly House.
- Buildings and fabric of the prison are at risk of falling below current maintenance levels, with lengthy delays in repairing faulty kitchen equipment.
- Inadequate process to ensure prisoners and their property are not separated during transfers, compounded by problematic transportation leading to late arrivals and delayed medical care.
- Lack of consistent engagement with Equalities groups due to staff deployment issues and the DIRF Scrutiny Panel not meeting regularly.
- The healthcare complaints process requires significant improvement, especially regarding timely feedback on written concerns.
- Budgetary issues and regime restrictions frequently lead to cancelled education classes and limited purposeful activity, resulting in some residents remaining on wings.
- Untimely service from Home Office Immigration Enforcement (HOIE) causes uncertainty in release planning and can lead to non-UK nationals being held beyond their release date.
- Limited and difficult-to-find accommodation for released prisoners, particularly for repeat offenders.